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Call your GP by their first name?

  • 04-01-2024 05:49PM
    #1
    MrCostington
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,324 ✭✭✭MrCostington


    As per the title, do you call your GP John, or Doctor Smith?

    Personally would prefer firstname as saying the latter seems to imply they are better than me, but I just play it safe and say a simple "thanks" on leaving?



«13

Comments

  • #2
    harmless
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,020 ✭✭✭harmless


    I call them whatever the receptions calls them, it's usually a good sign as to how they would like to be addressed.

    The current surgery I go to 1 doctor is know by her first name and the others are called their surname. Although if they call you by your first name then it's probably fine to do likewise.



  • #3
    Thespoofer
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,114 ✭✭✭Thespoofer


    I call them by their title as a sign of respect. The odd time , if we're in the surgery and speaking in private, I might refer to him by first name.

    When leaving, its again an official, Thanks very much Dr. Xxxxx. , especially in earshot of others.

    Just as a sign of respect.



  • #4
    mickdw
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 23,855 ✭✭✭✭mickdw


    In my experience, those with little up top always appear to be on first name terms with their Doctor.

    I would only call my doctor by first name if I knew them personally outside of being a Doctor.



  • #5
    AMKC
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 18,450 ✭✭✭✭AMKC
    Ms


    No I just say hello Doctor as I doubt I could premounce his name and do not know it yet anyway as he is a new Doctor anyway and I try not to go unless I really need to.

    Live long and Prosper

    Peace and long life.



  • #6
    Otis Lively Wrinkle
    Posts: 106 ✭✭ Otis Lively Wrinkle


    I call them Doctor.

    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121571463#Comment_121571463

    Sounds like you have a inferiority complex. May want to see a doctor about that.



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  • #7
    lucalux
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,524 ✭✭✭lucalux


    i call them Dr [First Name]

    Dr Mary or Dr John for example

    not going to call my main doc their double barrelled mouthful of a name, for the sake of effort it takes

    my semi-regular locum, who i see more than my actual registered dr, is a lot younger and introduces herself as her first name. I stick the Dr in there as she's lovely and i do respect her role/title



  • #8
    Pauliedragon
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,780 ✭✭✭Pauliedragon


    My doctors name is Philip so doctor Phil it is. He never seems to like that I can't understand why 🤔



  • #9
    Donald Trump
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 21,337 ✭✭✭✭Donald Trump


    I usually call mine "sugartits"








    To be fair, he really needs to lose a bit of weight



  • #10
    Photobox
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,333 ✭✭✭Photobox


    First name, everyone calls him by his first name.



  • #11
    TinyMuffin
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,188 ✭✭✭TinyMuffin


    Don’t know as it’s impossible to see him when I need too. Last time I rang to make an appointment it was in 10 days so I said feck it.



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  • #12
    MrCostington
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,324 ✭✭✭MrCostington


    OP here, thanks for the replies.

    Thinking about it, I'm 80-90% sure both of them in the surgery introduced themselves when I first met them (they took over a surgery from a retired doctor a few years ago) by their first names, can I take that as green light to say John?



  • #13
    Purple Mountain
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,816 ✭✭✭✭Purple Mountain


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121571836#Comment_121571836

    Just urge on side of caution and say " what's up, Doc?"

    To thine own self be true



  • #14
    elperello
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 18,070 ✭✭✭✭elperello


    My doctor calls me by my first name so I reciprocate.



  • #15
    Cluedo Monopoly
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 12,357 ✭✭✭✭Cluedo Monopoly


    First name always. I know her fairly well.

    I am not into titles much. I would never call a priest Father for example. We got into enough trouble putting people on pedestals.

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  • #16
    tikka16751
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 239 ✭✭tikka16751


    First names, lob it up on the desk.



  • #17
    Marco Rich Against
    Posts: 354 ✭✭ Marco Rich Against


    I walk in gnawing on a carrot and say "what's up doc?"



  • #18
    Emmett Nervous Sextant
    Posts: 24,207 ✭✭✭✭ Emmett Nervous Sextant


    My GP calls me by my first name, I call him by my first name. He introduced himself by his first name. However his admin staff always refer to him & the other doctors as Dr. Smith, Dr Murphy etc and I do when speaking to them.

    My own experience is that back in the day you barely found out a doctor’s first name, now it’s tricky to get their surname. I’ll give an example, in about 2017 I had emergency surgery carried out by a senior registrar surgeon. I developed a post-op infection and my GP phoned SVUH to talk to the surgeon. He asked me what her first name was, and I could only answer Marta, I didn’t know her surname. He got talking to her and found out her full name, but I had not heard her surname before that.

    Likewise I had a surgical complication in the autumn and had to return to hospital and was asked who had performed the surgery and I only could give her first name as that’s as far as I knew. Most doctors up to Senior Registrar introduce themselves by first name only in my experience these times, and indeed most younger consultants make it known they like to be called by first name, although you do generally get to know their second name in the first place 😁



  • #19
    Donald Trump
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 21,337 ✭✭✭✭Donald Trump


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121571869#Comment_121571869


    What if he was your actual father?



  • #20
    Cluedo Monopoly
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 12,357 ✭✭✭✭Cluedo Monopoly


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121571928#Comment_121571928

    I'd go with Daddy

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  • #21
    Deep Thought
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,652 ✭✭✭Deep Thought


    Call mine Dr Sean or Dr Ger..

    The narrower a man’s mind, the broader his statements.



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  • #22
    Donald Trump
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 21,337 ✭✭✭✭Donald Trump


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121571937#Comment_121571937

    Sure you might as well go with that for all the priests. Or even "Daddy-o" .



  • #23
    j2
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 290 ✭✭j2


    Haven't been to the doctor in over a decade. I'm big, fit, strong as sh1t. I can lift 315 x 5 on the bench 225 overhead. I'd think nothing of going out for a 4, 5, 6 hour cycle in the countryside, going at it hammer and thongs the whole way, zipping up hills and everything. I can sit in a kayak and just go all day. I'm nearly 6'8, but a very coordinated and fast type at that height, not a lumbering giant or a beanpole. My physique is incredible, broad shoulders, barndoor back, pectorals like 2 upturned soup bowls and a rippling 6 pack. I wouldn't even know what to do with a doctor, and I'm also smarter than a doctor too.



  • #24
    Donald Trump
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 21,337 ✭✭✭✭Donald Trump


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121572060#Comment_121572060


    Grams or kilograms?



  • #25
    Nigel Fairservice
    Moderators, Regional Abroad Moderators Posts: 2,558 Mod ✭✭✭✭Nigel Fairservice


    I call GP by his first name. He has been my doctor for about 30 years.



  • #26
    Emmett Nervous Sextant
    Posts: 24,207 ✭✭✭✭ Emmett Nervous Sextant


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121572060#Comment_121572060

    Did ye know tall men in particular are particularly prone to colon cancer? Simply because lots more of those cells to go awol. 😁 Yiz is not bullet proof.

    https://carrolldigestivediseasecenter.com/news/taller-people-may-be-at-increased-risk-of-colon-cancer

    Sorry to sink your Tall Ship with billowing sails and with a fine big spinnaker to boot. 😁



  • #27
    igCorcaigh
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Paid Member Posts: 12,837 Mod ✭✭✭✭igCorcaigh


    First name always, but we have a good and longstanding relationship. He's an excellent doc.



  • #28
    Greyfox
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,174 ✭✭✭Greyfox


    Haven't been to a GP in 15 years, don't know whether or not my last one is still alive



  • #29
    Oink
    Moderators, Music Moderators Posts: 2,163 Mod ✭✭✭✭Oink


    I know what it cost my friends to become doctors, and I call any GP “Doctor” because they’ve earned it.



  • #30
    cj maxx
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 17,418 ✭✭✭✭cj maxx


    Any GP I went to it was Dr …. . But the neurologists introduced themselves with their first names .



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  • #31
    banie01
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 18,506 ✭✭✭✭banie01


    My GP and I have a 25yr relationship and are very much on 1st name terms. The joy of being a frequent flyer I suppose 😉

    The tribe of CNS and specialists I see are all in the habit these days of introducing themselves on a 1st name basis.



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